SB engine rebuilding got ya! School is Open!

...................and there seems to be a number of oil pump/ oil pan combinations where the pump hits the pan. I've got one I'm gonna have to do some welding on to "cure" it. I bought a new Milodon "stock replacement" pan, and even IT is marginal clearance. 360 specifically, don't know if the other CID's have this problem

Make SURE you get a new distributor drive bushing and installed properly

Make SURE you clean out ALL the block oil passages, and make SURE you get all the plugs in.

Prime the oil pump with the proper shaft and drill. Turn the crank so you get oil out all the rocker supply holes. If you have trouble, remove the sender and the filter. You should get oil out the filter almost instantly, and reinstall it. Prime until you get oil out the sender and reinstall the sender. Then prime until you see oil and feel backpressure on the drill, then turn the crank.


Degree your cam if you have the specs, and consider checking piston to valve clearance HINT minimum clearance does NOT happen at TDC

Take extra care with the rear main seal, and I've had much better luck NOT using the oil pan and intake end seals, use silicone instead. VERY important to get the surfaces absolutely clean and dry before applying.

Don't forget to check the timing marks with a piston stop (balancer can be slipped or wrong) and consider degreeing the balancer before you put it on. Check the oil seal surface of the balancer, and if worn, either replace the balancer or buy a "speedy sleeve" or other brand name shaft repair sleeve.

Last time I did so, it was cheaper to buy a timing set with the sleeve in it, rather than buy the sleeve/ seal separately

Make sure you lube the cam with proper break in lube, and LEARN HOW to time the engine "static" so it will fire right up. If you do this right, the engine will fire INSTANTLY with gas in the carb. If you have a mechanical pump, you can apply a "solvent gun" with air to the fuel line and prime the fuel up to the carb fitting. Take some clean gas in a container, and hang it above to prime the float bowl of the carb.

That way you can start the engine with a bunch of cranking on the starter--very hard on a new cam.

Make ABSOLUTELY sure you "burp" the engine coolant. Drill a small hole in the flange of the T stat, and remove the heater hose which connects up by the T stat AT THE HEATER. Lower the hose end so you can "see" and fill until you get coolant out the hose. Then raise the hose up high, and continue filling. This will vent the block and help prevent airlocks in the coolant.